Yang Xiuzhi's whole family take a photo to celebrate moving into their new apartment in September 2018. Photo: Courtesy of Yang Xiuzhi

"I have been working in drudgery as a farmer for half of my life. I never dared to dream that one day I could enjoy plenty of sleep and wake up naturally without an alarm clock," said Yang Xiuzhi, a 49-year-old rural woman who has been relocated for Beijing Daxing International Airport, to the Global Times.  

Beijing Daxing International Airport was officially opened on September 25. It is bringing relocated residents a new life and promising career opportunities, while boosting the development of southern Beijing. 

Daxing airport, located on the border of Beijing Municipality and Langfang, North China's Hebei Province, is Beijing's second international airport with an area of more than 1.4 million square meters. Daxing district was considered a less developed region in Beijing. 

Thanks to the construction of the new airport, many people in Daxing district have started a new life.   

More than 20,000 villagers from Yufa and Lixian towns in the Daxing district have been relocated for Daxing airport. They now live in new apartments in other part of Daxing district subsidized by the government. Yang's original rural bungalow was demolished in 2015, and she moved to her compensated apartment in September 2018.

"By allowing us to move from rural bungalows to well-facilitated modern apartments, Daxing airport not only brings more international visitors to China and more visitors to Beijing, but also grants us local farmers a happier life," Yang said.

New life of dreams 

Money and apartments as compensation for relocation relieve much of the burden on Yang's family and other residents.

Yang said she could never imagine such a comfortable life free of financial pressure before her relocation for Daxing airport, and she is very satisfied with her situation.

Yang's family made a living by planting peaches. She had to pick peaches before dawn in the harvest season and hurry back home to grab a quick breakfast, before rushing to a local market to sell the fresh peaches.

"My life as a farmer made it really hard to support the education of my father-in-law and two sons," Yang said. 

According to their customs, the family of the groom pays more for the newlyweds' apartment. This expense lurked as a future burden in Yang's heart, even though her younger son is only 14 years old this year. 

"The subsidy we received for relocating will help with this financial burden," Yang said.

Yang's family owns several compensated apartments. Her family of five lives together in a 115-square meter apartment and she rents out the others to tenants. 

Their hukou (China's house?hold registration system) status changed from farmer to city resident because of their relocation. Yang's father-in-law, 75, can now receive a monthly pension of 2,500 yuan per month. Yang will get a monthly pension of 1,800 yuan starting next year, as she will have reached the retirement age of 50 for female workers in cities.

"There is no retirement for a farmer. We have to work hard at planting for our whole life to support ourselves. But now we will be able to enjoy our old age," Yang said with happiness, though she still sometimes misses her old house where witnessed her unforgettable memories.

In addition to the financial relief they received, the new living environment has also improved the living standard of the Yang family.

Yang spent half of her life in a rural bungalow, enduring low indoor temperatures in winter. Her family sometimes burned coal for heating; however, the smoke blackened the walls of the room and caused the air quality to deteriorate. 

"Before, even taking a shower was inconvenient in the winter, but our new apartment is clean, bright and warm," Yang said.

Yang's younger son is at his first year at Yufa primary school, which is over 10 kilometers away from their original house. "The school is only one kilometer away from our new apartment. I don't need to worry about him on his way school, and he is enjoying having more time to sleep each morning," Yang explained.

Aerial photo taken on June 14, 2019 shows the terminal building of the newly-built Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)

A future of prosperity

Residents who have financial burdens benefited from the relocation, but others living in more comfortable conditions can also appreciate how Daxing airport brings opportunities for the development of the Daxing district.

Bi Chao, a 31-year-old man from Daxing district who enjoys a good standard of living as a small business owner, told the Global Times the district's infrastructure and community facilities have improved. 

With the construction of highways, subways, wider roads and more green spaces, Bi is confident for the future of his hometown.

"Before, most locals in the Daxing district were agricultural workers. There were not many enterprises and institutions, and it was relatively less developed than the rest of Beijing," Bi said, adding that "Daxing airport has attracted many institutions and a lot of talent to our district. As the population rises, supporting industries will receive a boost."

The change in hukou categorization from farmers to city resident allows Daxing locals to enjoy more comprehensive social welfare. Famers are covered by rural cooperative medical care, which covers 20 to 30 percent of hospital expenses. However, the social security for citizens in urban areas reimburses a greater amount, he explained.

"A lot of older people take antihypertensive medicine and cardiovascular medicine, which are basically free if you have social security card now," Bi said.

The local government and the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of the Daxing district are making efforts to help people in Daxing and surrounding areas find jobs.

According to the bureau, a total of 2,067 people from Daxing have found work in more than 70 airport-related enterprises and retailers in the airport terminals.

Preferential employment policies for those relocated from airport construction were also introduced. Qualifying enterprises could enjoy an allowance for employing residents from certain towns in the Daxing district. The annual subsidy for employing one person is between 19,000 yuan and 24,000 yuan, and the duration of the subsidy can last up to five years.

Since the introduction of the policy, more than 4,000 workers from areas around the airport, not limited to those from the Daxing district, have been recruited by employers. 

Labor skill training, such as logistics, and the delivery of special cargo, is also provided to improve their employability. A total of 11,439 course places have been taken up since 2014.

Zhao Hongbo, is one of the 2,067 Daxing residents who has benefited from these preferential employment policies. He works as an operator of a covered bridge in Daxing airport.

Zhao used to work as a fleet manager, and was exhausted from working until midnight every day. As an employee in Daxing airport, he enjoys a regular and reasonable working schedule with a shorter commute, which allows him to take more care of his family.

Although preferential policies have been introduced to allow Daxing residents to work at the airport, a lot of training and exams testing operation skills, safety and fire control are still required. 

"I would never have imagined that one day I could work in a world-famous airport like this one," he told the Global Times. The operator of the covered bridge is the first person that passengers meet when they get off the plane and the last person they see when they board the plane. They can be thought of as visitors' first experience of Daxing and Beijing, Zhao explained.

"Although my role is a small one, nothing is unimportant in an airport. I am full of confidence for the future - both mine and Daxing's," he said.